Pitt hits 'play' after week-long 'pause,' but Pat Narduzzi remains cautious

Pat Narduzzi could be talking to his players, coaches, reporters, probably his wife and children, too, and his message would be the same:

“Wear your mask. Wash your hands. Get yourself a little distance. Don’t pile up on each other. We’ll be good.”

If that sounds familiar, it’s because he made similar remarks a year ago at the outset of the pandemic, throughout summer camp and the 11-game season.

Pitt’s football coach — a creature of habit at age 54 and a veteran of 32 seasons as a college coach — welcomed his team back to spring practice Tuesday after a week-long shutdown in adherence to covid-19 protocols.

There’s nothing Narduzzi covets more than practice, and he lost three sessions last week, including one that was scheduled for Heinz Field. Pitt’s coaches were forced to meet virtually with their players when they really need to know who can do what on the football field.

“Because you’re on Zoom, you can’t feel them, you can’t see them,” he said. “They enjoyed it more than I did. I hate Zoom. I’ve about had enough of it. I’m glad we’re back in person.

“You give young kids a week off, you feel like you’re starting all over again.”

Narduzzi said he will watch video to be sure, but he said he wasn’t pleased with the fully-padded practice Tuesday.

“We had some momentum after practice four (before the shutdown),” he said.

Tuesday marked the team’s fifth session of the 15 it hopes to complete before the spring game scheduled — at the moment — for April 17 at Heinz Field. (The coach hopes fans will be allowed to attend.)

Narduzzi agreed with the pause, noting he understands the need to utilize “extreme caution.” He said if there was a game to play, “We would have continued to push through it.”

But he added, with a tone of more cautiousness: “It sounds like things aren’t great. In the city of Pittsburgh, things seem to be getting worse. We have to do our part to help nip this thing in the bud and get covid out of Pittsburgh.”

Players and staff members were tested every day during the pause after getting only one test per week at the outset of spring drills. With players back on the field, Narduzzi said testing will increase to three times a week.

“Whatever’s needed,” he said.

The team will practice Thursday and take the weekend off for Easter. Narduzzi expects every able body back next week. “We’ll try to get the three we missed made up, somehow, some way. It all depends on how (testing) goes the next couple weeks.”

Narduzzi hasn’t seen as much he’d like to see, but here are some of his early observations:

• “(Wide receiver Jordan) Addison against safeties is always an interesting day. We’ll just leave it at that.”

• Senior wide receiver Taysir Mack has been “outstanding. He’s been healthy. Moving forward, we expect him to play at a high level and he’s done that.”

• Freshman tight end Gavin Bartholomew (6-foot-4, 260 pounds) has opened some eyes. “I think he can help us this year. He’s as strong a tight end as we got.”

• Of freshman defensive back P.J. O’Brien, Narduzzi said, “Had to calm him down. He will whack you.”

• Freshman defensive end Nahki Johnson (West Mifflin) “has a little different gear to him. He’s still learning so things are still spinning in his head, but you can see the athletic ability.”

• Senior center Owen Drexel has taken a leadership role on the offensive line. “He’s learned a lot from Jimmy (Morrissey),” Narduzzi said. “He’s like Jimmy’s little brother.”

• Freshman cornerback/safety M.J. Devonshire (Aliquippa) “will bite you,” Narduzzi said, apparently referring to his aggressiveness. Devonshire will get a chance to return punts. “He can take it to the house, I think.”

• Cornerback Damarri Mathis, who missed last season with a shoulder injury, “started off a little rusty.”

“We need to loosen him up. Came into spring ball a little heavy. He’s been focused on trying to cut the weight down (from 205 to 200 pounds) because he looks good. He looks like a middle linebacker, just about. We know Damarri will be great.”

• Safety Erick Hallett is “out right now for the spring,” the coach said, without embellishment.